Receive the latest 1st-look updates in your inbox

In fact, Ms. Rowling conceived such a fully realized world, many fans have confessed wanting to live in her world more than their own.

But there’s a sad realization that comes over a lot of these fans after a certain age. In the Potter World, prospective witches and wizards are notified of their acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the age of eleven. Meaning that even if Harry Potter were real, magic existed, and you didn’t have to take out crazy student loans to attend Hogwarts, if you’re over the age of eleven, you’re not magical. Which for many is a pretty tough break.

Despite this, some people have decided to make lemons into a large-scale intramural sport. I’m talking about Quidditch.

Experience the Magic of Quidditch: Part 1

Grab your broomsticks, everybody, cause its time to fly! Watch Maria Sansone as she tries out this magical sport and follows a local team into the World Cup! Watch part two. International Quidditch Association 20 Randalls Island, New York, NY 10035

(Published Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016)

I recently attended the World Cup of Muggle Quidditch at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island in New York City. Now, I know what you’re asking yourself...

“Isn’t Quidditch played on broomsticks with everyone flying around?”

The broom part has stayed. Everyone who plays this sport runs around with a broom between his or her legs. Unfortunately, no one has, at this time, figured out how to make the brooms fly. But that hasn’t stopped the players of this magical sport to grow their intramural club into a fully formed league. At the Cup, there were thousands of people, some dressed in costumes, others covered in paint. There were sword swallowers and team supporters. And the biggest surprise?

Experience the Magic of Quidditch: Part 2

Grab your broomsticks, everybody, cause its time to fly! Watch Maria Sansone as she tries out this magical sport and follows a local team into the World Cup! Will the team make it? Will they catch the snitch? Will Maria be able to stay on her broom? She's definitely going to have to work some magic of her own if she wants to hang out with these muggles! International Quidditch Association 20 Randalls Island New York, NY 10035

(Published Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012)

Quidditch is hard. Like, really hard.

Watching a game can be confusing, but once one understands the rules and positions (and there are a lot), one begins to appreciate just how athletic the participants truly are. With a mashup of basketball, lacrosse, and, to an extent, wrestling, no one wins a game of Quidditch by slacking off.